What’s The Oldest Samsung Phone That Still Gets Software Support?

One UI 9, based on Android 17, has steadily been rolling out to supported Samsung phones since September 2026. Older flagships should have the update in October. Unfortunately, not every Samsung phone will get this update,  and some, like the Galaxy S23 lineup (the base S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, and S23 FE), will be on their last legs after One UI 9. Sadly, that also means flagship devices predating the Galaxy S23 lineup won’t get One UI 9 and will go unsupported; in other words, the Galaxy S22 series and S21 FE will stay on One UI 8 but will still get security updates until 2027. These devices don’t get a longer lifespan because Samsung set the cutoff for its seven-year update promise at flagship phones released in 2024 or later.

Technically, the oldest Samsung flagship still receiving software support after One UI 9 is the Galaxy S24 series, assuming One UI 10 is released in July and August. For the non-flagship A series, the Galaxy A16, A26, A36, and A56 will continue to be supported. The Galaxy A15, A15 G, and A25 5G are expected to end support by the end of December 2027 and have already reached their full upgrade potential, as the Galaxy S23 series has.

A few ways to tell whether your phone’s software future matches what Samsung promises. First, there is an important distinction between how many upgrades and how many years you actually get out of your smartphone. The seven-year promise isn’t meant to be taken literally, since a generational leap (what Samsung actually promises) isn’t the same as a calendar year from when you purchased it. 

Technically, it is better to say Samsung has promised seven major updates with seven years of security support (counted independently). That makes more sense, since it also means timeline changes (delays or early push-outs) won’t affect the number of OS upgrades your device gets; you will still get seven updates in total. So one way to find out whether your device will get it is to count how many you’ve had since you got your phone. For a Samsung Galaxy S23, Samsung released the device with One UI 5.1, based on Android 13. Officially, Samsung promised four major Android version upgrades, with One UI 9 as the last.

Another way to check is to either track Samsung’s One UI beta cycles or enroll in them. These beta cycles are device-specific and usually region-specific. To enroll, use Samsung’s Members app and follow the instructions to install the beta. Just note that Samsung recommends backing up your data in case of bugs or anomalies. Generally, if your device has a beta open or is in testing, that means the public stable release is around the corner.